The present invenytion relates to a pulse-irrigation method and apparatus for converting a substantially steady-state pressure of a water supply line to a pulsating pressure when applied to water sprinklers or other irrigation devices.
There are many situations where it is desired to convert the pressure of a water irrigation supply line to a pulsating pressure. For example, pulsating devices are sometimes used in water sprinklers or water sprayers in order to reduce the total water output while still distributing the water over large areas. Pulsating devices are also used for reducing the water output of sprinklers for cooling greenhouses, for lowering the output rate of drippers, and for reducing the tendency of sprinklers or drippers to become clogged by foreign particles. The conventional method of pulsating the supply line is to include a valve which is periodically driven, either by the fluid of the supply line itself or by an external drive, to periodically open and close the valve and thereby to periodically interrupt the flow of the water therethrough. Such arrangements, however, are relatively inefficient, expensive, and/or not conveniently adjustable to vary the pulsating frequency or the pulsating periods.